Wheeler came into the Conference room, and found it empty. Confused, he went into the Mess Hall, looking for his friends.

The Planeteers took their meals at different times to the rest of the crew; so that they could avoid disruptions to the ship. The sailors may have been trained, but they were not immune to having global celebrities, with superpowers no less, sitting at their breakfast table.

Kwame was at the far end of the room. He looked terrible. The second he walked in, Wheeler was waved over by Linka, who almost yanked him down into a seat next to hers. "You slept late." She hissed at him.

"I was up late last night. It's kinda hard to stop watching the news when they're talking about you round the clock." Wheeler whispered. "What's going on?"

Linka gestured. "Kwame got word this morning. His sister died while we were playing Castaway."

Wheeler sighed hard. "How do we play this?"

"For now, we're giving him space. Gi's getting him some food. Ma-Ti is… wherever he goes when nobody knows where he is."

Wheeler nodded silently.

"You know what the worst part is?"

"What's that?"

"The guards sent to protect her didn't know she was at the Mission, and not at home. The reporters got there first. Kwame found out about his sister on TV."

Gi came over and sat down quietly next to Kwame, placing his tray in front of him. She didn't say anything.

Kwame was crying. It was shocking to see. Kwame was so… still. He was patient and gentle and unshakable. And now he was crying silently, tears rolling down his face freely.

Gi wanted to say something, but she didn't know what. The feeling made her slightly sick inside; until finally Gi started to cry a bit too. "Is... can I do anything?"

Kwame shook his head.

Gi stood up. "I'm sorry, I thought..."

Kwame caught her hand. "You can stay. Just... I won't be good company."

"That's okay." Gi said softly and sat down next to him, still holding his hand.

Long silence.

"I knew it was coming." Kwame said finally.

"Doesn't make it any easier."

"That's not what I mean. I knew it was coming since she was diagnosed. I knew it was coming when it happened to my mother, my father… But I was there with both of them at the end. But not my sister."

Gi struggled to find words. "Instead, you were there for me. And Wheeler, and Linka, and Ma-Ti. We never would have made it without you Kwame."

"You don't know that." Kwame said gently. "What might have been is a question mark. My sister was not."

"I do know that." Gi pressed. "You saved us, getting our Rings back, saving all our lives. It's not a question mark to me. We would be dead."

Kwame looked at her finally. "Well. That would be a shame."

Gi sighed and squeezed his hand. "Kwame… I'm getting awfully fond of you. But for all the things you've done for me, there's one thing about you that… " She hesitated. "You care too much. You don't let on, but you do. When something happens, you automatically try and take responsibility. It makes you a great leader, and a great friend, and probably the very best brother that she could have had. But it makes you take the blame when things aren't your fault." She smiled ruefully. "You're the sort of person who would spend a day trying to untangle a piece of rope, if for no other reason than because you can. I wonder sometimes what you'd do if there was nobody left to help."

Kwame smiled a little through his tears. "My sister said much the same thing."

Silence.

"You know something?" Gi said finally. "You still haven't told me her name."

Long silence.

"Kunto." Kwame croaked. "Her name was Kunto."

Back at the other end of the room, trying not to stare at the two of them; Linka and Wheeler spoke quietly. "You think we should join them?"

"If it was your grandmother? Or my brother? Would either of us want company?"

Linka gave that some thought. "Not yet. But eventually..."

Wheeler smiled a little as Gi laid her head on Kwame's shoulder. "I think she likes him."

Linka nodded. "I think she needs him. He has a... I don't know how to put it. A steadying effect on her."

"On all of us, I guess."

Linka sighed. For a while they just stood there, watching quietly.

Ma-Ti came in a few minutes later. "There's something we all should see."

BREAKING NEWS:

Planeteer fever has taken over across the world. The Planeteers have become household names. Political groups have been quick to hop on the bandwagon, pledging their support to Hope Island as a legally recognized Island nation. Less quick to respond has been The Corporation itself, leaving them in a category by themselves.

Legal teams have been quick to take sides, arguing the legality of the Planeteers actions. As yet, no charges have been pressed. Rumors of criminal mischief and property damage have been floating around, as well as yet unproved allegations of illegal dumping.

The isolated critics of the Planeteers have made their case that with no oversight, and no knowledge of how their powers work, they remain a potential threat to National Security.

Kwame Deka, spokesman and de facto leader of the Planeteers has been approached via email and phone inquiries, and offered no comment on the source of their powers, but a KBX news Special Investigation has uncovered some startling possibilities.

Water Planeteer Gi Takashi had left word with her loved ones that she was joining an American company called 'The Gaia Institute'. No such company has ever existed, but the term itself has a notable relevance.

With us now, is our religious expert, the Reverend Justin Gabbart. Reverend, thank you for joining us. The Council of Churches has had time to review the evidence and the transcripts of the investigation into the Hope Island Phenomenon. Can we really overlook the coincidence of a group of young people with proven supernatural power over the elements invoking the name of an earth spirit?"

"Dan, the worship of an Earth Soul is a minority. It was more widespread in ancient cultures, but these terms remain in memory long after they've lost all practical meaning. The notion that the earth itself is a living soul in the same manner as a person is hardly an accepted-"

"Granted, but the one thing nobody has been able to answer is where these powers came from!"

"Their powers are elemental; Gi Takashi was making a joke!"

"Is it possible…"

"No."

"Is it possible…"

"No!"

The Planeteers turned as one from the TV to glare at Gi, who tried to sink into her chair.

The door opened and Captain Walker came in quietly. "I see you've heard the latest." He commented lightly. "The controversy might hurt you a little. But in the meantime, you might like to hear this. It'll hit the news in an hour or two: The legal experts have finally finished their dithering, and come up with a legal stance on what to do with you."

The Planeteers sat up straight in their chairs.

"The final legal word on the matter is that Hope Island is classified as a newly colonized land. As you were the first ones there, you are the officially recognized colonists. You therefore have the legal right to claim Hope Island as your own."

"Everybody's going to accept that?" Linka asked, not buying it.

"Look out that window. We're in International Waters. Nobody has any claim to this place, and there are a whole lot of warships waiting to see who fires first. It's an ugly situation. Most of the nations involved see WW3 in the making and would like to be away from this place, but they don't dare be the first ones to leave. The powers that be are more than willing to stick the pin back in the grenade by having it be somebody else's problem."

Kwame snorted. "I take it we're leaving then."

"Well, that's sort of up to you. As the first colony on a new land, you're classified as Foreign Nationals. We've made a survey of your colony. There are no facilities, no infrastructure, no medical care, no amenities… you could make a case for claiming asylum, and being taken back to civilization." He said formally. "As you said, a Carrier is effectively US territory. Do you wish to apply for Asylum?"

The formality of the question was such that the Planeteers actually went silent for three seconds before bursting into laughter.

The Captain didn't crack a smile, but it was clear he wanted to. "I assume I can take that as a 'no.'" He gestured for them to follow him. "We're setting up transport to take you back to the island. In the meantime, there's something you should see."

The followed the Captain through his ship to the hangar. Below the deck of the Carrier was a huge empty room filled with warplanes and helicopters, which lifted up to launch position by elevators.

Here in this huge mobile hangar, was a crowd of people. They seemed mainly press and naval personnel, but as the Planeteers looked, they realized that at the center of the crowd was a much smaller group.

The Planeteers took a moment to look at them, before recognition kicked in.

Matali and Natali from Africa. Gi's parents from Japan. Wheeler's father with JJ and Polly from America. Linka's Grandmother and Ruby from Russia. Ma-Ti's parents and Sergio from South America...

The Planeteers grinned, delighted.

Wheeler's father started to clap. And then everyone else joined in. Ruby waved at Linka, who ran forward to take her in a hug. JJ let out a high pitched whistle and Gi's parents ran forward, taking their daughter in a tight embrace. The sailors cheered, knowing a joyous reunion when they saw it, coming from a life where spending months out to sea was not uncommon. Cameras flashed from all sides, lighting them up with near constant flashbulbs.

The Planeteers barely noticed the cameras and rushed forward, tears running down their faces. After being snatched away, given heavy burdens, having their world suddenly get so big, going through wars… suddenly they were just with their families again, and they took advantage of every second.

"I thought you'd be mad at me." Gi whispered over the cheering crowd.

"We're furious." Her father said with a big smile.

"You're in so much trouble it isn't funny baby!" Her mother agreed, laughing joyously.

Wheeler wrapped up JJ, who was grinning dementedly. "Told you I had a good reason." He told his brother.

JJ grinned. "Yeah. I know. One thing though…"

"No, you can not borrow the Ring."

"Just for a little while?"

"No."

Polly leaned in, her crystals jangling a little. "Wheels, just tell me one thing. Where do your powers really come from?"

Kwame was met by Natali and Matali, one of whom shook his hand, one of whom hugged him. "I'm so sorry about everything." He said apologetically.

"We were a little worried when the mine closed." Natali agreed. "Then we got a call saying Matali's pension was tripled and his account was open again. Was... was that you?"

Kwame smirked. "Indirectly. I suppose so."

Matali grinned. "Also, when the press found out we were friends, they started offering everyone at the mine huge payouts for interviews."

Kwame laughed.

"It won't last, but we live to fight another day."

Kwame seemed to take that very seriously. "You guys want a new project? We might have a way."

Linka meanwhile, was having a three-way hug with her Grandmother and Ruby. "The things you'll do to get your parent's attention." Her Grandmother teased. "I see the resemblance between you and your mother more every day."

Ma-Ti was happy to see his parents. And they were happy to see him, but they didn't seem particularly rushed by it. He'd made sure they were not worried, and so they were not, even now. They reacted as though he'd gone for a quick walk.

Sergio was not so calm. He jerked a thumb at the boy's parents. "Have you ever done that to me?"

"No."

"I'm not kidding Ma-Ti, have you ever done that to me?"

"No." Ma-Ti laughed.

The Press got their fill of photographs and quotes to satisfy them for now. The story was being told in bits and pieces, and theories on the whole picture were plentiful. Sooner or later, it would all get out, but by then people would not be quite so panicked. Or so The Planeteers hoped.

Once the media died down, the smaller group was called in to the Officers Mess, as it was the only private dining room large enough. The Planeteers and their families headed back from the crowds to get more comfortable.

Ruby took an instant liking to Wheeler, much to Linka's chagrin. Linka's grandmother watched them silently for a while through narrow eyes; before getting into the spirit of the gathering when Linka's parents managed to talk their way back into the room, leaving their badges behind. Kwame's friends got along best with Sergio and Polly, as they were the only adults not directly related to the Planeteers. Polly took an instant liking to Gi's parents, having spent some time in Japan when younger.

But mostly, there were questions. Endless questions. It was yet another reason to tell the whole story beginning to end, but the five young people didn't mind quite so much this time.

The story took some time to get through. Most of them didn't believe it at first, and Wheeler kept Ruby entertained with some flame-tricks as the conversation turned serious. The fact that all of them understood the Planeteers, but not their Navy guards outside the door was tough to argue with.

The party continued on into the night, with Ruby falling asleep mid-conversation, and the adults took that as their cue to break up the party. Kwame made the announcement that The Planeteers would be based out of Hope Island, and deals were made about how to stay in touch after they all went home. The families would be joining them the next day.

The party broke up, and everyone said goodnight. The Planeteers stayed behind, as they would be escorted to their own rooms.

"It was good to see them." Kwame said quietly.

Everyone was notably slow to answer him. Kwame was the only one without a family member visiting. He had none left.

Gi sidled up to him, and Linka and Wheeler made a point of collecting the plates and cups left from the reunion.

"Kwame…" Gi said quietly. "This might be the wrong thing to say, but you've still got my family."

Kwame looked at Gi for a moment, and gave her a tight hug. She was over a foot shorter than him, and his arms and shoulders were broad. She almost vanished under his hug, but she returned it gladly.

Just then, there was a light knock at the door, and in came a thirty-something blonde woman in an expensive power suit. She seemed slightly shark-like, instantly likable, and the faint smell of coffee followed her. She stuck her head around the door, took them all in at a glance and smiled like she'd won the lottery. "Ooh. Oh yeah. This is great. You guys are perfect! You're already hitting all the demographics. Have any of you ever run for office?"

The Planeteers were already exhausted four different ways, and this woman was confusing them. "Uh… Who…"

"Oh, yes. My name's Lizzie Quinn." She said smoothly and came in properly. "I hope you guys don't mind, but I've done a little digging and I happen to know that you're not represented by anyone."

"Represented in what way?"

"Relations. I'm an Agent. Public Relations, Media interviews, damage control, booking appearances, making statements... Whatever you need, I'm your girl."

"We're not really in the business..."

"Ohh, you know better. You guys have been round the clock news for days. The Beatles didn't get this much attention. The Navy has been collecting bags of mail, thousands of messages… I've been sifting through them for nine hours now! Maybe you didn't plan for this, but you've got it."

"Miss Quinn, this is serious work we're doing here. We never intended for it to turn into such a media circus, but it has. That doesn't mean we want to parade-"

"Mr Deka, before you finish that sentence, let me just say this: Too late!" She started waving small sheets of paper in her hand. "Look at these messages! You have mail coming in from over a million people, literally. Oprah, Diane Sawyer, Letterman, Leno. Al Gore wants to discuss your next move; Bono wants to set up some Live Aid concerts."

"Bono? Really?" Gi gasped, reaching for the stack of phone messages faster than anyone had ever seen her move.

"We live in a world where mainstream news will spend days dissecting photos to figure out if Brad and Angelina are still a couple. And this... A group of young people from all nations, all races, united with a noble cause and armed with otherworldly powers, on a mission to save the world? The movie adaptations write themselves! You guys are bigger than Elvis! Bigger than Ben-Hur. Bigger than hula hoops!"

"Bigger than Hula Hoops!" Wheeler gasped dramatically.

Lizzie leaned in kindly. "You guys have to get yourself into a mental place where you can accept the fact that your private lives are public now."

Wheeler grinned. Kwame did not. "Is there any way we can... diminish that?"

"Feed the beast." Lizzie advised. "Or it feeds on you."

"Due respect Miss Quinn..."

"Liz, please."

"Liz. We're not in this for the press. We're not looking for fame."

"There are two kinds. There are times when you seek fame. And other times when fame gets thrust upon you. So you don't want fame and glory. Great. You have some grand hope to save the world? Even better. But you're going to need help. If you want to organize an event, or a rally, run a campaign, spread your message... or do anything that involves other people, it's going to have to be organized. You just show up, it'll be completely out of control before you can do anything. You need people to call their people. I'm your people."

The door opened again, and The Captain came storming in, with two guards present. "Miss Quinn." He said seriously. "We told you: We would approach them in the morning about you; and give you their answer. You were to remain in your room."

Quinn grinned, not taking her eyes off Kwame. "I'm tenacious too. Another great quality in an Agent." Two naval personnel flanked her, ready to escort her from the room. "Anyway, I believe our time is up. Think it over, give me a call."

She was hustled out, and the Captain made apologies for letting her slip through.

Gi was still holding the pile of messages. "I have Bono's phone number!" She chirped happily. She hadn't seemed this pleased with herself since the Wave Rider took off.

"What do you think?" Kwame asked.

"She had a point. One way or another, we're celebrities now." Linka pointed out.

"Doesn't mean we want to embrace it." Ma-Ti pointed out. "Brubrand gave us money. We told him we weren't in it for money, but we got it anyway. We weren't in it for fame, but we got it anyway. It would be very… easy. The Heart can be a treacherous thing. It can be led astray before it knows the detours are there. We could very easily forget why we're here."

There was a moment of silence as they turned that over in their minds.

"We shouldn't." Wheeler said. "He's right. When I'm up on a skyscraper, I'm there for a job. Careful work. But you've got a great view up that high. You let yourself get distracted by the view, and a construction site suddenly becomes dangerous. Distraction can get you killed."

It was enough for them.

"What about our families?" Gi asked. "They have to go home soon. They'll have to deal with this longer than we will. If we can take the pressure off them..."

Dead silence.

"Should we talk to her again in the morning?" Kwame asked. It was his way. He took the big problems and broke them up into small easier choices.

"Well, no rush." Gi said, holding up the papers in her hand. "The messages she gave us? She slipped in her business card."

Alana collared her daughter and her son-in-law as the party drew to a close. The two Interpol agents weren't going to their rooms. They were heading for the helicopter pad. "You're leaving again, then?"

Ivana jerked, and spun to face her mother, as though caught out. "Our girl did an incredible thing. We have to make our arrests before the people they exposed can go into hiding. There are places in New York where you can't buy a paper-shredder for love or money. We have to move fast."

"It's the first time you've seen your daughter in how many years?"

"Linka understands."

"Doesn't mean she likes it. She's... stoic. She has to be; more than she wants to be. if you'd spent any time with her, you'd know that about her."

"Mom!" Ivana growled. "Linka's okay with it. She knows how important it is. Some things have to be more important than what we want for ourselves."

"A lesson that Linka learned a little too well." Alana growled back. "Are you at least going to say goodbye to her?"

"We did, just now. Did you really think we were just going to run away?"

"Can't imagine where I would have got that idea." Alana muttered.

Stephan headed up the staircase. Ivana stayed behind a moment and looked back at her mother. "I was always a better Agent than a mom." She said quietly. "Linka's so... so much older than she was when we left her with you. And look what she did this week. You raised her into an extraordinary young woman mom. You did better than I would have." She gestured back up toward the waiting helicopter. "I wouldn't leave her for anything unless it was something worthwhile. You know that. It has to be done."

Alana had nothing to say to that. It was an argument she had heard before. She wondered if her daughter knew how much Linka had taken that lesson to heart.

The argument went on and on for hours.

The Recon planes had taken long and continuous flights over Hope Island. Not an inch of it went undocumented. The tree cover was thick; but the Planeteers knew what was under it.

What was left now was to decide where to go. It was not a small land mass. There were beaches, a snow-capped mountain, a forest, a wide grassy plain…

A microcosm of the natural world was placed on the Island. And now that people were to live there, the only question left was where to start.

But for all the debating that went on between the Recon teams and the officers, not a moment of it applied to the Planeteers.

The five of them had been given a copy of the Recon photos as soon as it was decided that Hope Island was theirs. They had discussed the matter too. Their debate took considerably less time, and they were already packing their few possessions, including what their families had brought along to give them.

The longer argument had been equipment. They would need to build a permanent home on the island. Something more than a lean-to. But their homes would have to be perfectly self-sufficient. Such construction was… expensive to start up. At least for five unemployed young people in the middle of the ocean it was…

The account full of money was now at their disposal. Gi was taking advantage of the ship's communication system to charter a civilian boat to ship supplies to Hope Island; and to buy such supplies online. It was going to be a big job.

The account was large enough that she could also think about purchasing another glider. A point that did not excite her team-mates too much, so she put it off.

Until they were set up, their situation would be fragile. If they couldn't get their living conditions set up before they left, they would have only one sat-phone with a single battery. The Navy had been kind enough to donate a radio to the ship, but still; nobody was thrilled at the prospect.

The Captain returned to the Conference Room with the Recon photos. "Well, it's up to you of course, but my people have identified three or four places where a small colony would have the best chance of success."

"Where'd you pick?" Wheeler asked with interest.

The three points were circled on the map. "Here, and here… and here." The Captain flipped through the photos to point them out. "The base of the mountain gives you a water supply. The plains are central to the island and flat for building. And the edge of the forest is closer to food."

Kwame nodded. "Well, thank you for your help captain, but we'll be… here." He pointed to the map. "By this cove. It has accessibility to the ocean. Anything coming in will come right up to our door."

"We saw that but…" The Captain struggled for words. "There's no freshwater there. The river doesn't go anywhere near the cove."

"I can handle that." Gi assured him.

"The ground is very uneven and rough!"

"I'll see to that." Kwame promised.

"All the brush? Useless for food; makes the soil bad for growing."

"I can fix that." Wheeler added.

"It's high enough to escape the tides, it's halfway between the forest and the mountain, and it has a clear view of the Ocean." Ma-Ti explained. "It's enough for our needs."

"Well then." The Captain chuckled blandly, tossing his notes in the bin. "That was several hours well wasted."

Silence.

"Well, this is it." Kwame said finally.

The Captain nodded. "We've got a boat waiting. Your families will be by in a day or two. We feel the fewer people over there at a time the better. There's a fair considerable number of people who think that it could sink back into the ocean any time now. We'll stay in the area for another week or so; make sure nobody comes back after the press forget about you; give your families a ride home… If you need anything, you have till we leave to ask for it. After that… you're on your own."

None of them could sleep that night. They were ready long before the timetable. The Night-shift on the ship decided there was no risk, and gave them leave to go early. The helicopters were unnecessary. The Planeteers went by boat. They didn't bother with the engine.

The first boat was just the Planeteers themselves.

"Shouldn't we… I don't know. Maybe there should be a ceremony or something." Wheeler offered as Gi made the waves move them in. "I mean, this is the biggest official landing since Armstrong on the Moon. There's nobody who doesn't know his first words."

"You want us all to join hands and sing 'Star Spangled Banner'?" Linka teased.

"Well, you guys aren't American, and I don't know all the words." Wheeler admitted. "I'm just saying… this is kind of a big deal, you know?"

They rode the waves like their landing craft was a surfboard, till they beached themselves on Hope Island. Dawn broke as they stepped into the sand...

They had seen the Island before. They had been the first to walk these shores. They had been the first to explore the forests and the mountain...

Mist glistened over the limbs of the trees; lush cool grass waved in the ocean breeze; birds sang musically as they flew through the air, now a riot of colors in the dawn, and perfumed by fields of blooming windflowers.

This was a place that nobody had ever been. The last unexplored, untouched, unspoiled place on earth.

And it was theirs.

"My friends…" Kwame said grandly. "We have come home."

The first few days were spent in simple tents and cots. The Planeteers went to their chosen site and began preparing it. Gi shifted the river to bring them fresh water. Wheeler burned off the brush in a tightly controlled fire, leaving the soil ready. Kwame manipulated the earth to bring up solid rock for them to build on, and to shake free the nearby earth to break up the topsoil and take care of any roots that survived the flames.

Tents were set up until proper homes could be built. There was a lot of different ways to make low to zero-impact housing, and the Planeteers couldn't agree on one. Eventually, they decided to splurge and built one each, small and comfortably sized, to be laid in a semi-circle, facing a square in the middle. Ma-Ti recreated his town square from home, searching out flat smooth stones to use as cobblestones, and a mini-community was organized instantly. Homes that faced a small square with tables and chairs, the forest and their food gardens behind, the cove to the ocean in front.

Once it was built, they knew it would be beautiful.

"The prefab houses will be here tomorrow. But we can't put them up yet." Gi explained. "The water tanks, the wind turbines... all of that comes a few days from now. If we're going to make a go of the greywater systems and the power systems, we need to have all that stuff in place before we finish construction."

"What can we do now?" Kwame asked.

"Set up the foundations. Usually, they put down concrete and such, but I'd rather not spend more than I need to. If you can bring up a flat solid chunk of bedrock under each house..."

"I'll see what I can do, but I don't create rock Gi, I only manipulate it."

"Well, there's rock under everything you go down deep enough, but if you can't get it exact, get it close. We'll use concrete for the rest and use one lot of it where we would have needed ten."

Kwame nodded. "Food supply?"

"Ma-Ti can bring fish and poultry right to the dinner table if he wants. Linka's grandmother Alana brought seeds; she and Wheeler are having a... spirited discussion on growing indoors versus growing outdoors. They've already got some veggie patches set up. Beyond that, there's enough food for us growing in that jungle back there."

"I was wondering..." Kwame admitted. "I was wondering if maybe we should be bringing people here. I put a lot of people out of work on my way out. They know how to get by on little but... I have to admit a certain responsibility for their actions in the future. In my country, it's not easy to find another job; there's little provision made for the unemployed..."

"You want to bring them here?" Gi repeated in surprise.

Kwame shrugged. "I'm not the only one thinking about it. Linka's terrified that the river near her village may have been poisoned enough to cause harm to the locals... A lot of the stored chemicals got tossed around by a freak tornado..."

Gi rubbed her eyes. "Hell... Kwame, is every solution we come up with going to cause more problems?"

Kwame sighed. "I don't know. But if we wanted to... if we wanted to prove that an entire community could do it... Could live clean and comfortable at the same time..."

Gi nodded. "It's been done. There's an eco-community in Vauban, Freiburg. Five thousand people in Germany have managed to make it work."

Kwame nodded. "It might be worth looking into."

"Something else that might be worth looking into." Gi said quietly. "I was looking for... another Glider..."

"Gi..."

"I know it wasn't your favorite way to fly, but it got us out here, didn't it?" Gi reasoned. "I found something similar. MIT is trying to build a Take-Off capable Glider. One that can do on its own what the Wave Rider could with us. I was thinking... if I made a call to them, then they might be willing to sell off one of their rejected prototypes."

Kwame sighed and looked out over the island. "We're making up the rules as we go along aren't we?"

The radio crackled. "Hope Island, come in please. Saratoga to Hope Island."

Kwame took the radio. "Go ahead captain."

"My people are interested in Shore Leave. They've been here for a week now, looking out the window at a tropical beach. They want in, but since hope island has been declared an Island nation, we have to clear it with you first. We could keep them out of your way if you want."

Kwame laughed. "Well, I suppose we can-"

Gi was waving at him.

"Stand by." He told the Captain, and clicked the radio off. "Something wrong?"

"Many hands, light work!"

Kwame swiftly understood. "Right." He keyed the radio again. "Captain, we could use a few extra hands to set up the prefabs when they arrive. Trade you a quick-build for a week of surf and sun."

"Deal."

Gi beamed. "Hey! Look at that! Hope Island's first trade agreement."

Kwame laughed.

Ma-Ti and his family were walking in the forest by themselves for a while, when Ma-Ti finally paused. "Mom, dad... can we sit for a second?"

"Of course sweetie." His mother said happily, and they all sat down. "It's a beautiful island."

"It is." Ma-Ti said awkwardly. "Listen, when I left home, I did something, and lately I've started to wonder if maybe I just took the easy way out." he cleared his throat. "I've had some... experience in what happens when you rely on something too much."

"Ma-Ti, whatever it is, it can't be that bad." His father offered.

Ma-Ti took a deep breath and sighed. "I hope you still think so in a few minutes."

Ma-Ti lifted his Ring and it glimmered for a moment, reflected in his parent's eyes.

Nuclear silence.

His mother broke down sobbing suddenly; and his father's face twisted in betrayed shock.

Ma-Ti had tears form in his eyes. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"

"How could you do that to us?" His father demanded, gripping his shoulders. "How could you just... brainwash your family that way?"

Ma-Ti shivered as his mother broke down sobbing harder. "I think... I think I was a little brainwashed too. By the power, by the Jungle, by my new sense, by my mission..."

"Take off the Ring!" His mother sobbed. "Don't be this person. Don't... keep going with this power. Take off the Ring. Give it back."

Ma-Ti steeled himself. "I can't. I can't stop now."

His father held his mother tightly. "Have you been doing this to other people? Are there others?"

Ma-Ti swallowed. "Yes."

"Ma-Ti... A significant number of people are wondering if the five of you are going to destroy the world. Do I go back and tell them that I was fine with what my son was doing, because he had me under Mind Control?"

"I know." Ma-Ti said quietly. "Can you forgive me?"

"How can we forgive you for doing things like this? We don't know if we should be upset about them or not! How can we forgive your actions, when we can never be sure again what they are?" His mother yelled.

Ma-Ti shut his eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I never should have put you through this. I should have let things be." He raised his Ring again. "I should never have put you through this, just because of my own guilt."

His father threw a hand out. "DON'T!"

The Ring glimmered a moment.

His mother smiled cheerfully at her husband. "Don't what dear?"

Ma-Ti kept his expression clear as his father shook his head. "Sorry? What were we talking about?"

Ma-Ti gestured about. "About the Island."

His father nodded, suddenly clear. "That's right. It's such a beautiful Island Ma-Ti."

"Yes." The boy said casually. "Yes it is."

"Linka, it's a tropical island! I highly doubt you'll have to worry about the winter. And if you do have to worry about it, wouldn't you rather have some preserves stored?"

"I hope we have long enough. But half the things growing on this island don't belong in a tropical climate." Linka volunteered. "Who knows if they'll last the summer heat? Or if they'll be back next season?"

"Linka, nothing about this island makes sense. Have you seen a single weed since you got here?"

"No, I suppose not."

"I wish we had soil like this back home."

Linka struggled for a second. "Grandmother, the five of us have been talking and-"

The sound of Ruby laughing interrupted them. They both looked down the beach and saw Ruby in the middle of some game with Wheeler and JJ.

"Wheeler, right?" Alana pointed. "That's his name?"

"Nickname." Linka said. "I would think he had work to do."

"The foundations are ready, the housing isn't here yet; the seeds are planted. The sailors are all having fun. So's Kwame and Gi. Everyone's embracing the chance to do nothing. Why aren't you?"

Linka sighed. "Feels like there's too much to do."

"There always will be. Especially in your newly chosen profession. Being patient can be the hardest thing in the world to do."

"I know." Linka conceded.

Alana gestured down the beach. "Ruby... has been very quiet and withdrawn since you left. Today was the first time I ever saw her play or laugh since her parents died. You're not wrong, there's plenty to do. But not everything worth doing means deciding the fate of the world. A lot of things worth doing are as simple as making an orphaned girl laugh."

"That's not me. You weren't wrong. I'm the fighter. I keep my eye on the goal." Linka argued.

"On the big picture. As a result, sometimes you don't notice what's in front of you." Alana countered. "There are little things to be faced as well. As long as someone on your team notices that…"

"Wheeler does." Linka admitted. "He is the type who gets more furious over little injustices rather than the big ones. It annoys me." Linka mumbled, as Ruby laughed again.

"They're good together." Alana observed.

"Ruby's just glad she's not the most immature person around." Linka retorted.

Alana checked Linka out of the corner of her eye. "Hmm."

Linka reacted strongly to that. "Hmm? What 'Hmm'?"

Alana shrugged. "Nothing dear, nothing at all."

"Don't give me that! You said 'Hmm' you must have meant something!" Linka pounced.

Alana just smiled back at her.

Linka seethed. "Oh, shut up!"

The Pre-Fabricated houses arrived the next day.

Gi's parents had some experience working on fabricated material and assembly lines. They helped teach the younger people how to safely work the electrics, and found that Wheeler had that in hand.

"Well, there doesn't seem to be much need for us. At least as far as the work is concerned." Gi's father told Kwame. "But how did you get the foundations done so fast?"

"We have broad superpowers Mr Takashi." Kwame quipped. "The hard part is getting the foundations shaped for water systems. Electrical cabling goes through the walls. Septic tanks and grey-water systems have to be set up properly."

"Not much we can do to help you there." Gi's mother admitted. "Our houseboat recycles water, but we bought it, we didn't build it."

"We've got people who can handle that coming from the ship. Navy men know their way around water systems."

"I know. Gi's giving them surfing lessons." Her father quipped.

The three of them laughed, finding that funny.

Gi's father took a deep breath after a moment. "Kwame... Yumi and I work for a car manufacturer."

"I imagine a lot of people in Japan do." Kwame said, wondering where this was leading.

"Not as many as you'd think." Yumi said quietly. "What my husband means is... are we going to be on your list of targets?"

Kwame let out a breath explosively. "We don't think of ourselves as Nature's Hitmen Mrs Takashi."

"We know that, but..."

"Think for a moment." Kwame said. "You know what you do for a living better than I do. You tell me. Can you and the Planet live together?"

Kim sighed. "Japanese car companies have the highest fuel efficiency standards in the world; and we raised standards still further in 2002. It worked out pretty well for us."

"How so?"

"Toyota and Honda sales went up so much they got a larger percentage of the car market." Yumi put in. "American car companies like Ford and GM went down by a full third each."

"And it's worth noting GM went bust when Toyota and Honda didn't." Kwame said. "Gi's always taking about how a new innovation can change everything. One way or another we'll need transport in the future. How it plays out will..."

"...decide whether we're all walking or using electric cars." Both Gi's parents finished the sentence with him.

Kwame ducked his head a little. "Heard it before, I take it?"

"We're her parents. We've heard everything before." Her father chuckled. Silence. "You're good for her, you know." He said quietly.

Kwame flushed. "What?"

"My daughter. She's all... grown up."

"Mr Takashi..."

"Call me Kim."

Kwame felt his heart stop. "Um... no. No, I don't believe I'll be doing that."

The two of them chuckled at Kwame's embarrassment.

"I was sorry to hear that your parents left so soon." Wheeler offered.

Linka shrugged. "I'm dissapointed, but I'm not surprised. My parents are always so... focused. I suppose I had to get it from somewhere." She gestured out at the ship, visible on the Ocean. "I'm a little surprised that your father isn't spending more time here on the island."

Wheeler smiled. "I'm not. He's regular Army. You never know where he's going to be next week. This is the first time he's been within a thousand miles for a long time."

Linka looked back and noticed Wheeler looking at her solemnly. "What?"

"Ruby told me something earlier… and I have to know if it's true." He said seriously.

"About what happened to her parents?" Linka said sympathetically.

"No." Wheeler said, not pleased.

"About… What happened with the Chemical Plant?"

"No. Not that either."

He was so straightforward about it that Linka was actually starting to wilt under his severe look. "I give up. What is it?"

"She said…" Wheeler took a deep breath. "She said you were ticklish."

Linka paled in pure horror.

Wheeler took one deliberate step closer to her, and she scurried backwards about three feet in sudden panic. "I'm sorry Linka." He said most seriously. "But I have to know if that's true. I simply have to know."

Linka was backing away from him step by step, and he matched pace with her perfectly. Her voice was rising in pitch every time he moved closer. "No. Stop! Back away Yankee! No! Wheeler, that is the opposite of stop! No!"

"Mr Wheeler!" Ruby hollered. "The radio's talking again!"

"Saved by the bell." Wheeler commented darkly, heading up to collect the radio from Ruby. The extended family could understand each other as the Planeteers did, but it was Wheeler's father on the other end, so Wheeler took most of the radio calls.

JJ was in the main tent, at the radio, holding it up. "Dad, for you." He took a look as his brother took it off him. "You're smiling."

"JJ…" Wheeler said cheerfully. "It doesn't get any better than that."

"Choose your words carefully. I'm young and impressionable."

The radio crackled. "James, come back?"

Wheeler keyed the radio. "Right here dad. You should see the place, it's coming together great!"

"I'm glad. You might want to get your people together. We've received a call you'll want to take."

Gi was walking with Kwame's friends.

"It was nice of you to come out and see Kwame." Gi said.

Matali smiled. "He's a good friend. When his sister passed, we thought that somebody should come out. Kwame put himself though a lot for the people around him. Somebody should stand up for that."

Gi smiled. "I agree."

Matali gave her a look. "I hope you won't think me too forward, but you are fairly easy to read. Is there something between you?"

"I..." Gi flushed. "I think it's complicated."

Matali grinned. "No doubt. Hey, I'm not complaining. I've been telling Kwame he needs to slow down and find a nice girl. My sister can vouch for that."

Gi looked at Natali in shock. The woman knuckled Matali as only a sister could, and smiled demurely at Gi. Gi felt smaller for some reason. Natali had a good three years of growing up, and a full six inches of height on her. She looked at home in the tropical climate, and seemed perfectly at ease with herself and her surroundings. Even in the simple wrap and braids she exuded an easy sensuality that Gi felt she lacked. She seemed to be exactly the type Kwame should go for.

And she could apparently read these thoughts playing out on Gi's face. "Relax Gi. Kwame... he's the type that could walk through something like this, and not be changed by it." She smiled, waving at the island. "I think that Kwame will not be home for quite some time. Wherever he's going... the five of you will be going with him. Not us."

Gi smiled softly. It was the truth.

Natali glanced at her brother. "Can you excuse us a moment?"

Matali took the hint and did so.

Natali walked with Gi for a while. "Gi... Kwame's in charge of your group, isn't he?"

Gi smirked. "Yeah, I guess you could say that. he didn't ask for it, he was never elected... He just... Knew what to do."

"It's a rare gift." Natali said quietly. "He lost his family, he lost his home, he lost his sister, and he is so... unassuming. It can be very easy to forget how much he's lost. When he was upset about what was going on back at the mine, he threw himself into his work. He can do it again here. I hope that he... Someone as calm as he is can just... go unnoticed."

Gi felt uncomfortable for a reason she couldn't really place. "What are you saying?"

"He's lost his sister this week. So... please make sure he grieves." The woman said quietly. "Of all of you, he has the least to go back to. He would so easily ignore what he needs. It's his way, to put others first. He needs someone to make sure he cares about himself too. His sister used to do that." The beautiful woman actually seemed to shrink under Gi's gaze for a moment. "I... Back at the mine, I had hoped that I could do that for him. I even got my brother to set us up together, because I didn't really have the nerve to come talk to him myself." She sighed. "As it happened, that was the day he received his Ring, so... It's not possible for me to finish what I'd hoped to start that day. And frankly... he never really noticed I was there."

"Gi!" Kwame called from down the beach. "We've got a call."

Gi waved back up the beach at him, and sent Natali a quick look. "I'll look after him."

"Talking to Matali and Natali?" Kwame asked as Gi joined them.

"Is it possible those are stage names for something?" Gi smiled, feeling a little bit like she'd been caught out at something. "They think very highly of you."

"As highly as your parents think of you." Kwame agreed blandly.

"You were talking to my parents?" Gi repeated. "Did they suspect anything?"

Kwame just looked at her.

"I know there's nothing to suspect, but did they suspect anything?" Gi responded to his look.

Wheeler put his hand up. "Well, they've been asking me about Kwame's prospects."

Linka nodded. "They want to know if he's a good provider for their baby girl."

Gi stared at them in open horror. "You're kidding. Aren't you? You are. You must be."

The radio crackled again, and Kwame answered. "Go ahead."

"Mr Kwame Deka? Please hold for President Anguelo." Came a voice.

Everyone glanced at Gi who turned to her laptop instantly and tapped away a moment. "President Anguelo. First term, President of Carpania."

"Where the hell is Carpania?" Wheeler asked.

"It's in South America, south of Uruguay." Came a man's voice from the radio. "You must be James Johnston."

Everyone turned as one to glare at Wheeler, who shrank into his seat. "I'll be quiet."

Kwame picked up the radio. "What can we do for you Mr President?"

"I… have need of your talents. My country is on the verge of disaster. The rains came much earlier than usual this year, before our farms were ready and our dams were undergoing preparations. They were caught unawares. As a result, three dams broke last week, and flooded the Yuvon River. That river has been dry for over a decade, but back when the river ran; it fed the hydroelectric dam for our Capitol City. With the damns broken, and the levies ten year out of date, the river is moving unchecked. High tide is in two days. Projections say that our Capitol will be destroyed by unseasonable flooding. We've just completed an emergency session of Parliament. The vote was controversial, but the majority agreed to call you. I don't know if what you can do is real, or some publicity stunt, but there's a satellite photo on my desk that says you may be the real deal. There are thousands of people in that city that we won't be able to evacuate in time. The infrastructure, you see. You can't move a whole city in two days."

Kwame turned to his team-mates. "One moment please."

The radio disconnected and the Planeteers put their heads together,. "We've never taken on anything like that before."

"Kwame, we've been doing this job for less than a month, there's lots of things we've never done before."

"Could we do it?" Linka asked. "I mean, is it within our power?"

"I think we could handle a broken flood levy on a riverside, but… getting there in two days… We don't have a glider any more."

Wheeler picked up the radio again. "Dad, have you been listening in to this?"

Beat.

"Maybe." His father's voice responded, and everyone rolled their eyes.

"Dad, we haven't worked up a new Glider yet. We're barely past tents and camp-fires at this point. If we decided to go... we'd need a ride."

"Hang on a tick."

There was silence on the line for a moment.

"Good news. I'm told there's precedent." The Colonel said after a while. "The US has ferried diplomatic envoys from one country to another for negotiations. President Anguelo is asking for emergency aid that you can provide in the event of a natural disaster. If Hope Island wanted to send a delegation of five people to visit his country, we could get you there."

"Politics cracks me up." Linka commented, deadpan.

AN: Don't bother looking for Carpania on a map. It doesn't exist. I made it up purely as a story device.

The next chapter will be the ending. I'll try to stay off my soapbox.